Important Construction and Other Updates From The Recent SAC Hospital Meeting

(view from Wells Fargo to the southern portion of Laurelon, where no buildings remain)

At Tuesday's SAC (Standing Advisory Committee) meeting, there were many interesting updates for the community to know about that will effect our neighborhood now and well into the future.

First, Sellen Construction, gave an update on the construction - what is happening now, hours of the construction the timeline, dump truck routes in and out of the neighborhood, and more. 

Currently, it looks as if only two buildings are remaining.  All the other Laurelon builings have been demolished replaced with about 15-20 excavators and various types of heavy machinery.

Construction Information

• Weekly construction updates posted ont Bulletin Boards on 40th Avenue NE, Sand Point Way and Ne 45th Street (near the bus stop
• Updates also posted on Hospital Construction Blog
• Live webcam
• Master Plan information
• Work Hours are 8-4:30
• No Evening and week-end work hours
• Vibration and Noise closely monitored for impacts to patients in the hospital and surrounding residences
• Noise reduction measures to be taken as needed - sound construction barriers, etc.
• Designated off-site temporary parking lots at Magnusonfor all workers who are bussed in to the work site
• Truck routing plan - trucks circle through Laurelon then out onto 40th Avenue NE then turn right onto NE 45th Street to wait at the light then turn left to leave the neighborhood
• 2-3 dump trucks leaving site per hour for the next 6-8 months
• Construction activity at "Plaza" - firelane in between Laurelon and hospital near NE 45th Street bus stop - for 2 more weeks. Hospital has obtained an SDOT curb crossing permit to do work in this area.
• 265 foot crane to be put up with the arm extending only over the Hospital property and not out onto residential streets
• All equipment electrical versus combustible to reduce noise

Construction timeline:

2011:

• This and next week Sand Point Way one lane in each direction work for storm drain modification, hours are 9-3:30 weekdays.
• Demolition of buildings- through February
• Excavation and Shoring(digging out basements etc) - mid February through mid May
• Foundations - mid May through July
• Structure (steel, fire proofing) - June through December

2012

• Exterior Enclosure - 10/11 through 7/12
• Interiors: 3/12-2/13
• Street/Sidewalk Improvements: 8/12-2/13
• Landscaping: 9/12-3/13
• Constrction Complete: 2/27/13

The area of Laurelon where there will be no new buildings as part of  Phase 1 will be a large lighted parking lot for about 230 cars.

Helipad Update - see this post from October with the detailas which still remain the same:

• SAC agreed to the new temporary helistop pad to be located on the ground near the new entrance to the hospital, which will have a direct connection to the e new Emergency Department.
• The helipad will remain at that location for about 2-3 years until the next phase of development is completed and the helistop would then move to the rooftop of one of the new buildings which will be very close to NE 45th where it will remain indefinitely
• It will move again to it's final location of  in a future phase where it will be perrmanently located in a central locaation near the new diagnostic and treatment building
• Recent noise studies conducted  and presented at the SAC meeting show little change from one location to another, although roof landings are slightly louder.   However,  one location on the ground, across Sandpoint Way may be slightly louder and the SAC will continue to monitor this.

Plant information - provided by Jeff Hughes from the Hospital:

• All plants 6 inches and above that were at Laurelon will make it into the new construction project in some form or another. Others that won't make it will be recycled for other purposes.

  

Plant Salvage Inventory from Laurelon 

 

• 264: Trees (evergreen and deciduous 3'=65')
• 779: Shrubs (evergreen and deciduous 2'-20'_
• 190: Roses (species and varietals between 3'-20')
• 200: Grasses (evergreen and deciduous btween 3"-12')
• 210: Ferns (evergreen and deciduous between 6'-5')
• 150: Perennials (evergreen and deciduous between 3"-10')
• Ground cover not included as estimates being done for propogation levels

Livable StreetsUpdate - presented by several CAC members who worked on the project:

• The initiative is a 20 year plan for improving bike/pedestrian connectivity throughout Northeast Seattle. 
• The report compiled information on projects from six different transportation studies plus hundreds of public comments from the Livable Streets Workshop. 
• The workshop,  held last November, drew more than 300 participate from various NE Seattle neighborhoods
• Participants made suggestions for street, trail and sidewalk improvements, including ideas to improve transportation and connectivity in the neighborhoods.  \
• Some of the projects outlined are: creating Green Streets (quiet, pedestrian/bike friendly street yet still open to vehicles), improving trail access, crossings on Sand Point Way, building sidewalks and adding crosswalks. 
• The final Livable Streets report prioritizes the improvements based on SDOT criteria and workshop comments.  
• There is wide support for getting the projects completed - 20 different neighborhood clubs and organizations co-sponsored the workshop event.  
• The final Livable Streets Report is not yet posted electronically. Email LivableStreets@SeattleChildrens.org  to request a copy.